So near and yet so far

THE ONGOING VISIT of an Indian delegation led by commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal to the UK marks the last ditch effort to sew up a free trade agreement (FTA) before the two countries get into election mode.

- MUKESH JAGOTA

• INDIA, UK MAKE LAST DITCH ATTEMPT AHEAD OF POLLS TO SIGN TRADE DEAL

While negotiations began two years ago, several informal deadlines haven't been met; every time it looked like a deal was around the corner, differences cropped up.

Ahead of the visit, the team is understood to have received directions from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on further steps. PM Narendra Modi is believed to be keen to conclude the deal before the model code of conduct (MCC) for the general elections, expected by mid- or late March, comes into force. London may be equally enthusiastic as speculation is rife that Modi's counterpart Rishi Sunak could call for early elections in May, even though the current term of UK Parliament ends only in December. However, senior officials believe the MCC won't come in the way of a deal being signed since it is an ongoing negotiation.

While the proposed FTA may not be an election issue in India, it is certainly so in the UK, both for political and economic reasons. According to the 2011 Census of England and Wales, there were 1.4 million people of Indian origin residing in the UK, accounting for 2.5% of the overall population. The last British election saw 15 Indian-origin members of Parliament elected.

Many of them held high profile positions in the Cabinet and, and even Sunak is of Indian descent.